


On the Wrong end of a Favour

by GeorgiTheBookworm



Series: Fallout 4 Oneshots and Short Stories [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: 10000 words, Alcohol, Awkward, Bodyguard, Completed, Cute, Cute Ending, Deathclaws, Drugs, F/M, Finished, Fluff and Angst, Goodneighbor, Mayor - Freeform, Memory Den, Neighborhood Watch - Freeform, Non-Explicit Sex, Nuka World, Nuka World Mention, Oneshot, References to Drugs, Romance, Short, Short & Sweet, Short Story, Swearing, chems, drunk, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-18 20:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11298156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeorgiTheBookworm/pseuds/GeorgiTheBookworm
Summary: Gail has never tried drugs, where her travelling companion, John Hancock, has probably tried them all... at least ten times each. When the joke 'favour system' they have between each other results in Gail taking her first hit of Jet, what are the consequences to everyone around her?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first time putting any work on Ao3... and [unlike my Wattpad], this account will be dominantly fallout fanfiction (my Wattpad is mostly bandfiction)... 
> 
> ah, I should shut up... anyway, hope you like it, don't forget to comment your opinions and give Kudos or just do whatever you want, and I will see you around :)

"Wait, Wait, Wait... You've _never_ taken any chems?" Hancock stopped and put his hand out in front of him, the other hand pressed to his wrinkled forehead, in confusion because he had known his friend for so long but never knew that she was a virgin when it came to drugs.

"No?"

"Not a hit of jet?"

"Nope,"

"Not even a cigarette?!"

" _No,_ Hancock. I haven't had any drugs, except for the occasional Med-X if I was in a lot of pain, but no rec use. Gosh, why is that so hard to believe?!" Gail laughed as Hancock's face dropped. It was true, the vault dweller had never taken drugs. Sometimes; she thought she was missing out, but never enough to actually try anything, and with the Commonwealth gone to pot and the death of her husband and son, she had as good a reason now as ever to take them up. "Because you know me, I _live and breathe_ Chems." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a friendly squeeze. "Yeah, you're a real junkie, Hancock." She sniggered at her comment while he pouted.

"That, Gail, was uncalled for." He faked a sniffle, pretending to cry. "You're gonna have to make it up to me." Gail saw Bunker Hill up ahead and pushed him off of her to run ahead.

"Ugh, fine, whatever... I'm starving, let's go eat."

Gail traded a handful of caps and a few spare ears of corn with Deb for a box of Dandy Boy Apples, two noodle cups and a bottle of rum. "You keep a close eye on that ghoul 'friend' of yours." A caravan worker nudged her in the ribs sharply, pointing the woman in the direction of Hancock, who was talking to Meg about something enthusiastically. "I don't care that he's the mayor of that no-good Goodneighbor, I'll shoot him in the head without thinking if he causes any trouble."

"Well, a couple things. One, Kay has no problem with Hancock talking to Meg. They're good friends. Two, Hancock's as good as gold, it's me you should be more worried about." she smiled a falsely innocent smile before walking over to Hancock and shoving the noodle cups and the rum bottle into her friend's hands.

"Meg, care for a Dandy Boy?" She nodded enthusiastically as Gail took one out of the box and handed it to her. "So, what were you talking about?"

"Hancock was telling me about your latest adventures." she spat slightly as she chewed on the pre-war fruit.

"Oh?" Gail's eyebrow arched, "what did he tell you?"

"You 'singlehandedly saved the settlers at County Crossing from a mutie overlord wielding a minigun'" she put on a masculine voice that vaguely reminded me of Grognak, which made me chuckle. "Well, the settlers did help a bit. Wish I could say the same for my friend here."

"Hey! I tried!" Hancock defended himself as he slurped up some noodles.

"Yes yes, darling... if you could call that trying."

"I think that your mean attitude calls for another favour, Gail," Hancock smirked,  as she groaned in good humour.

"Ew, I'm outta here, keep that couple-y talk away from me!" Meg wasted no time in leaving Hancock and an amused Gail alone with their food and each other for company on the cool spring evening.

"Aww! I didn't even get _started_ on the couple-y talk!" Hancock sighed overdramatically, collapsing carefully back onto a chair. The Vault Dweller pulled up a chair next to her friend and took her noodle cup from him hungrily. "Yeah, but you can't do 'couple-y' talk until you're a part of a couple."

"True..." he poked at the cold, stodgy noodles in the ceramic bowl. "I think it's almost time for the first favour." Hancock "Oh, don't drink that rum yet." He pulled the glass out of her hand and swallowed down the alcohol himself, sighing contentedly afterwards.  "Taste good?" She laughed, slightly annoyed.

"Mhm. Anyway, your favour to me is to give me your virgini-."

"I'd hate to spoil this for you Hancock, but you're over 200 years too late for that."

"hey, it's been over two hundred years... I'd say you're a virgin again by default. But, that's not what I meant." He chuckled before throwing something at his friend and she fell off of her chair trying to catch it. Gail rubbed the back of her head before looking at what he had thrown. It was an inhaler of jet. "Uh, what?" She looked at it again.

"It's jet, you must have seen it before?"

"Yeah, but to sell on to traders and junkies, not to actually hold in my hands to... use?"

"That's my favour. It's not even that bad, I could have asked you to, become a ghoul or something."

"Do I have to take this?"

"Oh no, but there could be worse on the table if you don't." He made a cheek chirp noise and winked jokingly to Gail, who rushed to put the inhaler to her lips. "Well, sister, ain't you charming?"

"Right back at you bud." she replied snarkily before puffing the drug into her mouth.

 

What happened next was somewhat of a blur, Gail 's eyes opened wide as she looked around her immediate surroundings of Bunker Hill. She could almost see the rot in the timber planks above her manifesting, and the small amount of light from a wall lamp seemed to illuminate everything perfectly. She turned to Hancock, and all the little wrinkles and the every texture of his skin became manifest in way too much detail. "Oh my life! Your skin! it's so... woooaah!" She began prodding his cheek, and he had to hold back a giggle as she began stroking his skin. “Yeah, I get that a lot, to be honest… however, no one has been as funny as you, Gail.” As the effects of the jet slowly wore off, she became aware of what she was doing and started laughing herself. “Oh man, was I… did I stroke your face?”

“Yeah, you did.” Hancock joined in on the laughter too, making them look like people who belonged in Parsons. “Usually, if someone is on jet and they see a ghoul, the reaction is to run away screaming… not ‘let’s stroke this face’!”

“I didn’t run away screaming the first time I saw you in Goodneighbor, what’d make you think I’d run away this time?”

“Because you saw a super high quality version of what you saw when you first walked into Goodneighbor.”

“Touche… But maybe I liked what I saw?” She smirked, and for a moment, she swore she could see him blush as he broke eye contact slightly, looking down to the ground. Maybe it was just some after effects of the jet. The blonde had never known the bald to be bashful. “Anyway, it’s getting late.” Hancock interjected these words into the silence after a small amount of time, although it felt like so much longer. “Do you want to go back to Goodneighbor?”

“Yeah, sure.”

 

The party of two made their way back to the town that is Goodneighbor, making quick work of the only hostiles they laid eyes on, a pack of dogs and a raider. Gail noticed something was odd about her ghoul associate, and it was further proven when he almost got his head blown clean off by the raider, and he hadn’t even noticed the loud girl in her crude armour. Luckily, she only blew a hole through the forward facing point of his tricorn hat. Her reward was getting a peppering of bullets through the thin chestplate she wore, her blood painted the wall behind her in a large splatter of red. “Pickman would be impressed.” Gail chuckled to herself as she walked over to the body, taking the few caps that she possessed from the small wallet that was attached to the raider’s belt, before searching the reset of her body for goods. _“That’s a real good job, killer. I’ll put that head on my mantel.”_ Hancock mimicked the well-known raider killer almost perfectly, despite the radiation damage to his voice box that had made his voice raspy beyond belief. “What, are you jealous?”

“What? No. There’s nothing to be jealous of, although we’ll be jealous of the living soon enough if we don’t get moving.”

 

Gail straightened up and wiped her hands on the clean part of the dead woman’s raider leathers, getting rid of some blood residue that had found its way onto her hands when searching for things of worth, but found little more than the childish clothes on her back and the crappy pipe pistol that was probably made by the dead raider herself when she first decided to join the ‘Crime Life of the Commonwealth’. They left the body and turned a corner, neatly avoiding some super mutants who were on the prowl for something to eat, they’ll probably take the corpse and be annoyed she’s already dead. Beggars can’t be choosers, the muties, are hopefully not smart enough to know this and will just starve to death.

 

***

 

By the time the duo had reached Goodneighbor, the sun was long set and they were both exhausted as they stepped into the Old State House. Hancock wearily nodded at everyone who nodded to him first, and they both ascended the spiral staircase, where Fahrenheit sat on the sofa, possibly reading a book, maybe writing in one. She looked rather intelligent, but still like she could kick Gail’s tired ass, even when it wasn’t so tired. “Hard day at work, boys?” she smirked as she closed the book, placing it on the side table. Hancock slumped down onto the sofa next to her and began rubbing his eyes. Gail continued to stand where she was and scuffed her thick-soled boots on the floor where she stood, letting her rifle hang by her side, the thin leather strap that was over her shoulder was ensuring that it didn’t fall on the floor. Despite them- Gail and Fahrenheit- being fairly close since Gail chose to save Fahrenheit over siding with Bobbi, Gail was still on edge around her. “Eh, not particularly, Fah… Hancock almost got taken down by a raider though.”  
“Hey, I was distracted! And Gail tried some chems for the first time, as well!” Hancock winked to his body guard before they both looked to the shy girl who had just then decided to perch on the end of a fabric armchair. “Oh, had she never tried them before?” Fahrenheit commented as she casually lit a cigarette, acting as if Gail wasn’t in the room. “Nah, so I started her on some jet, y’know. The easy stuff?”  
“How’d it go?”  
“Well she-”

“It was alright, I stroked Hancock’s face.” Gail abruptly interrupted, making Hancock scowl.  
“ _Aww_ , I wanted to tell ‘er! That’s like, the best bit!” Hancock howled in disappointment, rocking slightly on his pelvis in agitation like a child whose attention had run out. “It’s my drugs story though? I should get to tell it!” She retorted, getting comfortable enough to put her feet up on the table that was littered with different sorts of drugs which had never taken her fancy previously, and she seemed more interested in them now, but not overly tempted to try them again.

 

Hancock took a metal tin of mentats and shook a couple of the red, powdery capsules out onto his hand, popping them into his mouth and swallowing.  “Yes, but I think you will find that I am a much better story teller. Particularly when I have had some of these.” He shook the box and poured the rest of the drugs into his mouth. “Makes my stories drip with intellect, everyone hangs onto every eloquent word that falls from my mouth.” He smirked as he slammed the empty mentats container onto the wooden desk, making a blunt clang.

“Good idea, Hancock, because you need to be _even more_ of a smartass.” Gail chuckled as she drew a nuka cola from her pack and popped the cap off, it whizzed into the air where it was caught by Fahrenheit. “Of course I do, Gail. How do you think I got to stay mayor?” He tapped his forehead twice with a smile.

“Speaking of being the mayor," Fahrenheit broke into the conversation expertly, reminding Hancock that being the mayor included actually doing mayoral duties, "you need to sort out this deathclaw issue, one has been rampant nearby, we think it’s an alpha. KL-E-0’s partystarter barely dented it… we lost three men.”

“Well, of course the party didn’t start. _I_ wasn’t there.” Hancock chuckled at his own comment, obviously pleased. Neither his bodyguard or his associate showed the same appreciation for his wit in that slightly grey moment.

 

“It’s getting late.” Fahrenheit commented as she snubbed out the cigarette on the metal armour she was wearing. “It seems wounded, but still deadly enough to kill more of us. We’ll discuss it more in the morning.” The three people in the room rose and stretched out their achy muscles.

“Fahrenheit, you get some sleep, I can do the shift tonight. I doubt I’d sleep with all these thoughts in my head.” Hancock was obviously going to question it when Fahrenheit shook her head silently.  
“Alright, see you in the mornin’, Gail.” Hancock sighed wearily, as if he had a lot to say, but no way to say it. Gail nodded to the ghoul and his hired gun as they walked into the room that was Hancock’s private quarters. The small Blonde sat down on a backless chair and stretched out her legs in front of her, her head resting back on the splintery wooden wall.

 

She smiled warmly to the two neighborhood watchmen whose submachine guns were ready for action, their smiles didn’t match the pain in their eyes. “I’m sorry we weren’t here.” Her words cut into the tense silence. “It’s alright Gail. Bill and Leroy wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.” Don smiled at his raspy words, his black eyes seemed to gain some sort of light. “Who was the third person we lost?”  
“A drifter.” Richard commented quietly. “Her name was Tia. I had spoken to her a couple times.” The Vault Dweller nodded in solidarity. “Maybe if I had been here,” she muttered quietly.

“If you had been here, we might’a lost you too. You couldn’t’ve done nothing to save them.”

“I guess. You guys should take the night off, for a more proper rest.”

“I don’t think that’s wise, Gail.” Richard was always the cautious type, and now his caution was more reasonable. He has already lost friends today, what if something else happens, and he loses more of them? “It’s what Hancock would want, and you look like you have been through the wringer.” She chucked them a small purse of caps. “Go down to the third rail, buy everyone a drink, courtesy of the mayor.” The two nodded in appreciation and descended the staircase, calling to the others to head out.

 

The pale moonlight brushed over Gail’s cheek as she descended deep into her thoughts, about the day, about the jet, about Hancock and the way he reacted. She dared to think there could be more than platonic feelings towards her, but she could practically hear Hancock and Fahrenheit in the other room doing things that wouldn’t be done by just a bodyguard and her boss. So Gail dismissed those thoughts, and sent them on their way into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you have any ideas for future oneshots, please let me know :)

I felt my eyes open as the sunlight started to dance on them, and I started to shift under the covers. “Mornin’ Hancock.” Fahrenheit laughed as she inhaled deeply from her cigarette next to me on a faded leather chaise. “Ugh, what time is it?”   
“Like, eleven? You shoulda been up a while ago, from what I’ve heard of Gail.” At the mention of her name I jumped out of the bed and frantically tried to pull all my clothes together, which earned a snigger from my bodyguard. “Do you think she heard us?” I murmured as I buttoned up my faded trousers. “How should I know, not my problem anyway, is it?” I grunted in exasperation as I tried to put on my boots and button up my shirt at the same time, good thing I left my socks on. 

 

Fahrenheit shooed my hands away from my chest to do up my shirt, allowing me to focus on not falling over while putting on my boots. “Just tell her how you feel, it’s not gonna kill you if she says no.”   
“But what if she does say no?” I grimaced as I searched for my tricorn.

“Then I’ll guess I’ll be seein’ ya more often?” She winked suggestively before throwing my hat to me. “Not funny Fah… well, maybe a lil’... but still!” I tied the once-worshipped flag around my waist and slipped on my frock coat. “Hey,” Fahrenheit paused for a moment, and it seemed pretty sincere. “If she does say yes, could you convince her to have a threesome?” I burst out laughing, and Fahrenheit did the same, but we both knew she was at least somewhat serious about what she said. “I’ll see, Fah, but no promises. Shall we get goin’?”

 

She nodded and we both left the room, Fah first and me immediately after, and entered into my living room where Gail was sat sipping some soup. “Sleep well, Mayor?” she chuckled at her own formality while nodding to Fahrenheit. “I’m guessing you’ll want brunch?” I shrugged

“I could have a bite, what’s on?” She handed me another bowl with a similar, pale green liquid with broiled chunks of indiscriminate flesh in it. “Iguana soup.”

“Well, I just feel spoilt rotten.” I winced as the smell of the homemade broth wafted up to my nostrils, making me lose all forms of appetite. “As rotten as the chunks of Iguana floating in the soup,” Gail laughed as she slurped up what was left of the soup impolitely. “We need to get moving.” The fair-haired woman rose, placing her bowl on the table, and I noticed she had traded her laser rifle for one of those minutemen laser muskets today. “I agreed to help some of the Watch kill the Deathclaw- and on your behalf- agreed you would help too. They’ve already set off, but agreed on a location to meet them, knowing you’d be late. Hope you don’t mind.”

 

“Heh, what can I say? The boys know me!” I wolfed down the soup, trying to not let it linger in my mouth for too long. As soon as I was finished I popped open a bottle of vodka and took up a mouthful, swilling it in my mouth before swallowing. “Attractive.” Gail commented sarcastically.

“You know it!” I wiggled my nonexistent eyebrows, which made her laugh. “We should probs hurry, yeah?” I got up quickly, grabbing my double-barrel and slinging it over my shoulder, finger in the trigger. “That’s not very safe.” Fahrenheit muttered.   
“Wow, I could almost believe you were his mother, Fah.” Gail said in fake disbelief, slapping her forehead. 

“Haha, very funny, let’s get going, I can’t be much later than this, I am the Mayor.” I pushed Gail towards the stairs- as we began descending Fahrenheit called after us. “I didn’t even debrief you on what happened yesterday!”

“Don’t worry, Fah!” Gail called back. “You debriefed Hancock last night, he might have some useful information!” I had never heard such a loud laugh from Fahrenheit in all my life, it was something extraordinary, I tell you, I just wish I hadn’t heard it in response to what Gail had said. If I could blush, my face would definitely be the colour of my coat. “Yeah, maybe...” I muttered as I pushed her out of the door, Fahrenheit still cackling like a mad old lady and Gail grinning like a Cheshire cat. 

 

We walked in silence for a while, until we reached the Common, and I sensed the danger that every normal person who finds themselves here feels. Of course, Gail didn’t feel that, but I didn’t feel like finding out why this place is bad news. “So where are we meeting them?” I something

“Near HalluciGen, but not inside. Oh boy was that a mistake.” She chuckled quietly, reminiscing on some journey that I wasn’t a part of, and perhaps, it was something from before she even knew my name, before I was born. It’s weird how the one person I don’t want to be apart from existed for so long, and just by chance, she met me. A different set of circumstances, and maybe I wouldn’t have been so lucky. It’s sad that my good fortune was dependent on some of the worst possible for her. 

 

I was torn from my thoughts by a small herd of ghouls crawling through the area. They were some ways away, but they weren’t exactly discreet as they tried to maul a drifter. I shot one in the leg, severing the limb at just below the knee, the others also becoming aware of Gail’s presence as her Laser Musket threw up red lights towards the ghouls, burning their already rotting flesh until the only one left was the drifter. “Thank you!” She yelled in relief as she kneeled before us, possibly considering us as deities. “You gonna be alright?” I smiled reassuringly.   
“Yes, Hancock, thank you. Please, is there anything I can do for you?”

“No, no, it’s alri-”   
“I could give you this daytripper?” She retrieved a small bottle of the rare drug from her pack and threw it to me before I could refuse, and then she ran off into the distance, clumsily tripping over some rubble. Dammit, she knows me too well… drugs always were a weakness of mine. That’s when I remembered, Gail still owed me a 'favour'.

 

“Uh, Gail?” My companion had already wandered ahead, not really noticing that I was still waiting behind. She looked behind and ushered to me to catch up to her, and so I did. “What is it?” I pushed the bottle into her hands and coughed slightly,    
“that’s another favour,” I coughed again and moved out of her reach so she couldn’t give it back immediately. “No, Hancock. Drugs aren’t for me.” She seemed pretty angry as she took a look at the daytripper, obviously already knowing the pre-war drug. “Hey, you owed me another favour, and this one is  _ pricey.  _ I mean, I coulda had that myself, but instead, I offered it to you… I’m a good friend.”   
“Ugh, fine… but we really need to reassess this favour system, I feel like you get way more favours than me.” She popped open the bright orange lid on the glass container and swallowed a handful of the pale yellow pills. “To a happy escape,” she muttered quietly before downing the rest of the bottle, picking the cap up off the floor and slipping them both into her bag. “See? Not too bad, are they?” I slapped her on the back, making her face contort slightly. “Ah yeah, these ones will make you slightly more…  _ aware  _ of pain, so sorry about that.”   
“I’d take your apology, but then you might think I forgive you.” She smirked at me as we rounded the corner to the HalluciGen building.

 

Gail ran slightly towards the small gaggle of men who were all in tan patched suits and fedoras that had seen better days, possibly on the heads of pre-war businessmen and bright university students who had hopes and dreams, passions and hates… all now gone… heh, at least their hats survived, am I right? Of course, not all of the watch were here. There were about five. Donnie and Richard, who were on duty last night, Holden, Monte, and Cassian. “Howdy, boys.” I waved to them informally as they nodded in return. “Good lie in?” Cassian’s voice was deep and raspy from too much alcohol and smoking too many cigarettes, you could almost mistake him for a ghoul if you weren’t looking at him. However, his young skin was far smoother than any ghoul could possibly ever achieve naturally. “As good as it can get in this wasteland.” I spat onto the muddy floor, getting rid of some dust that I had inhaled.

 

“Anyone seen the deathclaw?” Gail commented as she reloaded her musket, getting ready for any sort of action that was going to come our way. “If we ‘ad seen the deathclaw we wouldn’t be ‘ere right now.” Holden grumbled, he was always the sort to be in a bad mood, even on his daughter’s wedding day he didn’t crack a smile. “Touché,” she brushed off his ill-tempered comment, clearly the daytripper works well on her, she’d usually reply with some sort of cruel- yet humorous- insult… I think this took Holden aback slightly, but he didn’t really care enough to comment. “Are we moving or waiting for the deathclaw to come to us?” She turned to the more friendly watch-members, and Monte was the one to speak. “We can only imagine that it will arrive here eventually… Hopefully, other factors have been on our side. We can only pray.” Monte was always somewhat of a leader- he was true to his name; built like a mountain and as immovable as one too. Was always a real softie in most circumstances though.

 

“Shall we set up a trap? Or are we gonna pray it’ll fall into our laps?” she spoke casually as she aimed down her sights of the musket out into the open courtyard. “If there’s one thing I’m prayin’ for,  _ it ain’t a Deathclaw. _ ” Holden continued in his grumpy old man fashion.    
“I’ll take that as a yes to the trap… anyone want to be bait?” we all shook our heads simultaneously. “Ok, I guess I’m bait.” Gail retrieved her hand weapon of choice from it’s holster on her leg- Kremvh’s Tooth. I was there when she got it, damn that Dunwich Borers place is creepy, but Gail didn’t seem phased by those… hallucinations. Then again, they might have been drug induced paranoia, and I don’t think she had ever taken enough drugs to see them. Then again, nothing seems to phase Gail… but this isn’t something that I am comfortable with her risking her life for, so I pulled her aside while everyone else was getting ready and heading off to locations. “Gail, this isn’t a good idea. That daytripper made you incredibly vulnerable.”    
“So?”   
“You could  _ die,  _ Gail. This isn’t a game.”

“Are you sure it isn’t a game? All the events in my life from the moment the bomb dropped to now have felt like a game… like something is just causing all this pain and trouble, for me… for others… wherever I go, it just doesn’t really feel real. Maybe I’ll wake up back in my home with Nate and Shaun, there won’t be an institute who took everything I ever had, there won’t be irradiated chameleons trying to kill everyone… and I’d never have to pick up another weapon or anything to defend my life in that way ever again.”

 

Silence. Say something. Tell her anything… don’t let her risk her life like this. “Gail, this isn’t a game, this isn’t a dream.” I gripped onto her arms that were hanging at her side, trying to stabilise myself, trying to make her see reason. “This is life, this is what is happening. Please don’t throw it away… I-” I could't force myself to say the last words, they clung onto the back of my throat like a child trying to stay with their mother instead of going to their class on their first ever day of school.  “You what?” Her voice was quiet and inquisitive. Now would be the perfect time to tell her everything. Tell her all the feelings… maybe she’d stop, realise that she is the best thing for me, for everyone else… Silence. I released her from my hold defeatedly and she moved towards the centre of the courtyard, her musket ready to fire.

 

We positioned ourselves around the open area with Gail firmly in the centre. Holden had somehow managed to get atop of a nearby building. My problem wasn’t that, it was that he was wielding Partystarter like it were just a mere submachine gun. One wrong move and Gail would be dead. I shook the thought of her in that… predicament out of my mind. Donnie and Monte were with me and Gail on the floor, they both were ducked behind different doorways, I was behind the railing of the stairs to the HalluciGen building itself, ready to strike. I wasn’t too certain of where Richard was, but I can only imagine he was planning on using that new sniper rifle of his in some far off building.

 

That’s when I heard it. That loud roar, the sound of rubble and old vehicles or whatever else being crushed by taloned feet. I nodded to my men and Gail that it was approaching and ducked behind the rail slightly- so that I could see but not be seen. As soon as this being entered into the courtyard, I could tell it was different. It looked far more demonic than any deathclaw than any other that had the displeasure of meeting Gail and I. It was so much larger… more red, red that wasn’t just blood. Holden immediately sent a missile into its back, and it barely did anything, the deathclaw turned around in confusion and produced a shriek worse than a Banshee could ever dare to dream to make. I grabbed the one cryo mine from my bag that we keep for emergencies and activated it, before whistling to Gail to move out of the way. I skidded the mine through the air and it landed right underneath the deathclaw’s belly. It exploded with a satisfying crunch of ice and power, but as I got above the railing to take aim at it, it had done little if any damage. Its right leg was somewhat frozen, but barely at all… there was a slight hindrance to its movements, but nothing that gave us any sort of real advantage here.

 

I took aim at its one unfrozen leg, Donnie and Monte had the same idea- when the beast is down, it’s down. Their submachine guns did a fairly good job from where they were, but if I wanted my shotgun to do  _ anything,  _ I had to get closer. I jumped the fence and got ready to run in and take a couple cheap shots at it from underneath. Then I saw something I really wasn’t prepared for, I mean, Gail had been in danger before, but I had never seen her in danger like this. Everything seemed to slow down as I saw the woman who means more to me than anyone else, the woman I  _ love _ , being brought closer to the deathclaw’s slobbering lips, it’s sharp teeth ready to shred her to pieces as she squirmed under it’s impossibly tight grasp. I thought I was frozen, but it turned out I wasn’t. I was moving. I found myself with my shotgun to the very skin of this deathclaw, right behind the kneecap. I pulled the trigger and found myself plummeting backwards due to the surprising amounts of recoil.

 

Despite having next to no sense of anything going on, I quickly moved out of the way of the deathclaw’s tail, which could have easily crushed me as it collapsed, the shots to it’s knee were obviously enough to sever the limb successfully, I started running to the top end of the deathclaw, hoping to see Gail alive at least. Gail wasn’t dead, but neither was the deathclaw. The beast had stopped holding onto Gail after it had fallen, but it was still trying to slice and dice her between it’s teeth… however, it was pinning her down… so I doubt it would get far just yet. “Gail! Are you ok!?”   
“What the hell was that? Are you trying to save me or kill me?!” She shrieked in a somewhat serious, but still wholly joking tone. “Well, I was goin’ for the latter, but I ended up with the first!” I laughed as I dodged out of the way of the deathclaw as it swiped for my head, but it missed, it was only sloppy tactics now that it was dying on the floor. As it finally got a grip on the floor, it pathetically tried to get up, and I thought Gail would try to get out from underneath it, but she didn’t. Instead, she reached for her Kremvh’s tooth, and as it’s head came crashing back down, she forced the dagger up, sheathing it into the slightly softer flesh that was just under the chin of this monster. The blood that came out was viscous, a deep red that would be a nice colour for a new coat… if only I could find the materials.

 

Gail panted as she got up, shaking her hands of the blood, leaving her Kremvh’s tooth for now, knowing it wasn't the most important thing in the world right now. “Gail, I’m sorry.” I pulled her into a hug, not really caring about the blood… just glad she is safe.   “Why are you sorry?” she pulled away with a concerned but caring smile.    
“Because I didn’t protect you… I let you get into that situation...” I inhaled deeply, out of my no-nose ‘cause it was now or never. “Gail…  _ I love you _ .” 

 

***

 

I don’t know if it was shock or exhaustion, or maybe she was seriously injured, but she collapsed, right there and then, I had to exert an extra amount of energy to keep both myself upright and not drop her. She was definitely heavier than she looks… or maybe it’s her armour. “You couldn’t’a picked a better time, Gail?” I muttered jokingly before turning to my men who had finally assembled in the courtyard. “If you guys are planning on butchering that deathclaw, I need at least one of you to accompany me back to Goodneighbor with Gail. She’s a little bit more than incapacitated right now.” I positioned Gail so her arms were folded against her chest, her head resting against my left shoulder. “I’ll do it,” Richard stepped forward. “We better move fast. The longer she’s unconscious for, the worse any issues could be.” I nodded and we moved quickly west, in the direction of Goodneighbor, I couldn’t help but almost run with my unconscious companion in my arms. I hope she’ll be ok.

 

“When did she faint?” Richard panted as he caught up to me, and I realised just how fast I was going. “Uh, like, pretty much as soon as I freed her from under that deathclaw.”   
“Was there any dialogue or anything? Did she speak? Did she move of her own will?”   
“Ummm… Maybe?” I avoided the question awkwardly, Specifics were not my thing when it came to stuff like this... personal stuff should be vague. “Well, Hancock, what happened? Did she or didn't she?” I ducked as I heard noise from afar.   
“Shh, somethin’s coming… ready up.” Richard nodded and aimed down the sights of his gun.   
“Just a couple gunners. Piece of cake.” A stereotypical wail from one of the gunners was heard moments after the rifle was fired, and then another shortly afterwards. Both were dead. I stood up again, repositioning Gail while Richard did a quick check of the bodies to see if they had anything of value. When we were both ready we continued walking, and it wasn’t long until we had reached the perimeter of Goodneighbor.

 

Richard held the gate open for me, and I headed straight to the Memory Den. Hopefully Amari could help, I hope it wasn’t too serious, or too late.


	3. Chapter 3

“Oh my life, what happened?” I groaned as I started to shift on the bed I was in, I opened my eyes, blinking to allow myself to adjust my eyes to the surroundings. “Ah, good. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to wake up.” A familiar voice entered the scene. 

“Doctor Amari? What happened? I feel like my years have caught up to me.” I tried to sit up, but the doctor shook her head. “Don’t try to sit up, just rest,” I obeyed her will and lay down again, waiting for an explanation. “You fainted from shock. You think it would have been injuries from being crushed to near death by that deathclaw, but you’re more hardy than you look.” I laughed at her response, whether it was meant to be humorous or not. “I’ve been told that a lot, maybe now I’ll believe it.” Amari handed me a dish with a hot broth in it,   
“You need to eat, you’ve been unconscious for almost three days.”

 

It was at this point that I became painfully aware of the emptiness in my stomach, so I slowly sipped on the soup in the bowl. “Excuse me for a moment, please.” I nodded and she got up, exiting the room. I heard her talking to someone, and despite their hushed tones, I could tell exactly who. “Hancock?” I yelled weakly before giggling at Amari’s futile attempt to stop Hancock from running up the old stairs to the room I was in. In mere seconds he had burst through the door with a relieved expression on his face. “Gail...” His voice was breathy and unusually quiet, but his face was beaming with joy that I was ok. “Hey, Hancock. You ok? You look worse for wears.” He sat down, removing his tricorn and rested each elbow on either thigh. “Well, I mean, other than becoming a ghoul, this is probably the worst I have been for a while, heh.” He chuckled slightly, with a slightly sad expression on his face. “Do you know where any of my stuff is?” I sipped once more on my soup as he nodded in reply, as he sat his crown-like hat atop his bald head once more. “Yep, Fah and I have been holding onto it, and the boys brought back yer Kremvh’s tooth.” I sighed in relief.   
“Do you know when I am going to be allowed up and about?”   
“Not really, but I imagine it’d be soon, Gail...” His voice suddenly became more sad, maybe becoming aware of something that I was not. “Uh, Hancock, is something up?”   
“What? No! Why’d ya say that?”   
“Because you sounded super depressing, like, a moment ago.”   
“Oh, uh, sorry… drug withdrawal, y’know? Wait, well, you don’t know… but yeah.” I laughed slightly as he tried to explain himself, making him smile. “Uh, Gail, do you remember anything in particular from before you fainting?”   
“I remember you trying to crush me to death under that deathclaw… and me stabbing it… but, that’s, like… it… why?”   
“Oh, no reason.” I was going to question him further, but Amari reentered the room.   
“Now, Mayor, enough is enough, she needs her rest. You can see her tomorrow.” My friend tried his best to protest, but she forced him out of the room, much to his -very obvious- dismay. I decided that Amari was right, and pulled the covers over myself more fully, trying to get to sleep.

 

The smell of the old cotton pillowcase and damp cedar furniture, the cool breeze turning warm, the sounds of gunfire, the blood… not my blood, the deathclaw. Hancock blew out it’s leg. It dropped me… it’s crushing me. The leathery red jaws trying to hug me, the sharp teeth trying to pierce me, the tongue trying to touch me. Try to get up, to fall down again. To be hugged by death, pierced by a tooth, touched by the afterlife. Maybe no one else would ever know, but the deathclaw was dead… 

I was falling. The floor was out to get me, to hurt me, to kill me. 

 

Falling.

  
  


Falling.

 

_ You saved me _

_ Love _

 

***

 

I shot up from the bed, I felt my heart beating under my skin as I clutched the now sweat drenched blanket against my chest. Maybe I was trying to hide myself from something, maybe it was my thoughts. My hair was plastered to my head, and everything felt on fire. My head was weighted, and my eyes felt blurry. There was a can of water left on the table, that I popped open and drank quickly, trying to see if it was just dehydration, trying to play games with me. I had to get out of here. I noticed that the room was much darker than when I fell asleep, fortunately, my Pip-Boy was left on my bedside table. I switched it on and checked the time. 3:20 in the morning. I rubbed my eyes as I removed the covers, testing my abilities to leave the room. 

 

Despite my head feeling like an anvil upon my shoulders, I managed to stand- and stay- upright. I inhaled deeply, making my throat itch slightly, but I held back from coughing in case I woke up Amari or Irma… and I don’t know who would be worse. At this point, I realised I was next to naked, and I tried to quietly find some clothes to wear. I found a yellow fedora, black shirt, and some grey trousers… but no shoes. “Can’t have everything…” I muttered to myself as I slipped the clothes on. There was also a brush, so I shook up my soaked tresses and brushed them through, aiming to air them out a little bit. I reattached my Pip-Boy like a leech to my arm before opening the door quietly, before slipping through the small crack and closing the door behind me. I was light on my feet as I descended the stairs, trying to avoid loud creaks and groans from the staircase. I, for the most part, succeeded in my endeavour to be quiet, and slipped out to the corridor. Just in front of me was Irma’s chaise, which was thankfully empty, as was the rest of the memory loungers. Kent might be sat in his small room, but I doubt he’d notice me… yeah, he might’ve stopped fighting crime, but he still hears only the Silver Shroud’s voice wherever he goes.

 

It didn’t take long until I was standing out in front of the Memory Den, and no one seemed to either be conscious or care that I was out and about, maybe the strong gale and somewhat heavy rain were enough to cloud my appearance to the world. I couldn’t think of doing anything except moving forward, and that headed me to the The Third Rail. I don’t think the watch member standing near the door recognised me… maybe because I bowed my head and said nothing, although I doubt he didn’t see the Pip-Boy, or my bare feet. I closed the door behind me, and Ham greeted me with a smile. “Don’t you ever sleep, Ham?” I smiled as he nodded to me. “Well, I don’t need ta, Gail… although from what I heard, you should be.” I shrugged, and he didn’t really seem to care too much, so I headed down the stairs as Magnolia’s voice wafted into the air as she sang her sultry songs and flirted non-verbally with the crowd. Non-invasive winks and blowing kisses, luring many to a fate worse than death, debt to Hancock. I looked for a spare seat at the bar, but realised that I didn’t have any caps, so I just decided to sit at a table and breathe in the toxic air of the club.

 

“I thought you would be in bed, Gail,” I looked up to see Fahrenheit, holding a vodka.    
“You’d think, but no.” I scooched over slightly on the faux leather seat to allow her to sit down, she smiled in gratitude before sitting. “Hancock saw you, he said you weren’t good… and going barefoot at three in the morning is not gonna make it better.” She sipped on her vodka, waiting to hear what I am doing in a bar without any caps at three in the morning while wearing an ill-fitting outfit you’d be hard-pressed to find on anyone above the paygrade of a hobo. “Well, I had a bad dream, and I didn’t really know what to make of it… and Magnolia’s voice always helps me think… relax… whatever.” She offered me some of her drink, but I politely declined. “Well, Gail, what do you remember?”   
“Hancock, blowing out the deathclaw’s leg, killing it, falling… being saved… the word love...” I trailed off before turning to her in my fevered delirium. “Fah, do you have any idea of what this could mean!?” I yelled slightly louder than I would have normally done, and a random drifter shushed me with venom in his [lack of] words. Fahrenheit replied with a string of obscenities that would have made one ugly necklace, and the drifter quickly backed down. “Gail, what I know, I don’t know if I am allowed to tell.”   
“Please, Fah… anything? I am so lost.” the bodyguard sighed deeply before looking around slightly. “Keep quiet, ok?” I nodded and she pulled me in close. “So, from what I heard of Hancock, he shot the deathclaw’s leg, and then it’s jaws were pinning you down, but you killed it and he was apologising and then you-”

  
“Oh my life...” I cut her off before she could finish. “Fah, did… Did I tell Hancock I love him?” The response I got from Fahrenheit was really not one I expected. I expected maybe for her to nod, or confirm it with words… I didn’t expect her to drop her drink, to stare at me like I had just confessed to murder or to being a synth. “You… you love him?” She was getting hysterical now.   
“Wait, what? Was that not what happened?” I felt myself getting more anxious as I tried to get to the bottom of what happened after the deathclaw encounter. She grabbed me by the wrist rather forcefully, dragging me up the stairs and out of the building altogether. “Wait, what is happening?” She continued dragging me and I couldn’t stop her as she took me into the old state house, pulling me down the spiral staircase with some force. She turned to me, releasing me from her deathlike vice. “Fah, what the hell is going on?” I yelled at her, stirring some of the drifters, who quickly got out of the way of us, heading out of the building.

“Gail! You didn’t admit to loving Hancock! He loves you! That’s what happened!” She yelled back just as loud, however, her voice was more confident, less shrill… and every word felt like a jab to my heart, toying with it, making it ache.

 

I fell down into a kneeling position. “Hancock… he  _ loves _ me?” Fahrenheit kneeled down to my level, and placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to reassure me. “Yeah, Gail… he does.”   
“I… I’ve gotta tell him… but… I can’t?”   
“Why can’t you?”   
“I have as much charm as the Brotherhood of Steel.  I honestly cannot tell him. It’s come out wrong… I’m too scared.”   
“Do you want me to tell him for you?”   
“No… I don’t think that’d go down too well, whether he believes you or not, he’ll ask me about it… and I couldn’t tell him anything.” I mustered enough energy to stand again, and dusted my trousers down defeatedly. “Do you want me to get you your stuff? I can see Hancock got your Pip-Boy to you,” she got up shortly after I did, and I nodded in response. 

 

She bounced up the stairs quietly, maybe she was thinking of others for once. It wasn’t long until she had come back down the stairs with my vault suit, armour, caps, ammo, and musket. “Thanks Fah!” I smiled as she handed me my belongings.   
“Don’t sweat it… I’ll leave you for a bit to get changed… meet me upstairs?” I nodded and as soon as she was out of sight I stripped out of the clothes that I wouldn’t miss and jumped into my bright blue vault suit and less colourful armour. I was glad she had brought my combat boots as well, I was not in the mood to risk tetanus or something else as life threatening any longer than I had to. I took the fedora off of my head and shook my hair out once again, this time it was more dry, but I could do with washing it properly now. I climbed up the stairs with less finesse than Fahrenheit, but I was quiet enough.

 

“Nice to see you in a proper outfit now, don’t want you dying in that gale out there.” Fahrenheit commented as I sat down on the sofa next to her, trying to think of my next move “Maybe it was my destiny, to die in a gale.” I laughed quietly as I picked up a vial of psycho, watching the viscous black liquid slosh around inside. “Maybe drugs are the answer, Fah?”    
“What do you mean?”   
“What I mean is,” I dropped the vial of psycho and picked up a small cannister of mentats, “taking chems could help me talk about… this… you following?”   
“Yeah, but that’s not a good idea? You don’t take chems? You could have a severe reaction to all those drugs, and-” before she could continue I upended all the mentats into my mouth and swallowed them. “Well, that doesn’t seem to have done much?”   
“Give it a sec.” She replied somewhat smugly as I waited for the mentats to kick in.   
“These really don’t seem to be doing much…  I don’t feel any more emboldened than I did when I found out about this dire situation I seem to have gotten myself into.”   
“Yeah, Mentats are more like intelligence and concentration drugs, not too great for being charismatic, although it can help a little.“    
“Well, what about...” I picked up a jar of pills that I had seen often in pharmacies long ago… and Nate used it to help him get back into shape after his injury from a war no one remembers anymore, “Buffout? Hmmm… not quite what I require for this situation.” I picked back up the vial of psycho, but Fahrenheit knocked it out of my hand near immediately in a somewhat unbridled rage. “You don’t want to use that one. You’ll just be angry…  _ very angry. _ ”    
“Oh, I was nonplussed for a moment, but that seems deserved… have we got any alcohol? That always does what is required, from what I’ve noticed.”   
“Uhm, we might have some, look around.” She smirked at me as I stood up and frantically searched through boxes and cupboards looking for some sort of alcoholic beverage. It was when I was on my hands and knees rooting through the back of an old, near rotten dresser that I found anything that was possible to drink. I withdrew to see what I had retrieved, hoping to see something that I could possibly enjoy the taste of. I had some rum, whiskey and a few beers.

 

I took the bottles back to my scratchy seat of the sofa, placing them neatly on the hardwood table, moving drug boxes, inhalers, pots, and vials out of my way, and Fahrenheit seemed impressed at my abilities. “You were looking for so long I was sure you wouldn’t find anything,” she inspected the bottle of rum. “This is some rare stuff, whoever this belongs to better not mind...” She put the bottle of brown bile-inducing liquid back on the table in a hurry, almost as if she was scared she’d get caught holding it. ”Feel free to have a beer or two if you wish, I feel that they are not my drink of choice.” I popped the lid off of the whiskey bottle carefully and pressed the glass lips to my flesh ones. Fah nodded to me as I swallowed a mouthful of Whiskey, and then another hefty gulp followed. The drink rushed to my stomach, setting my dry, itchy throat ablaze along the way. “Have you eaten anything since you woke up?” Fah asked between sips of her beer.   
“I had some broth, but that must have been several hours ago.” I took another mouthful of the whiskey, and it all still burned the same. “Go a bit easy, don’t want to get too drunk.” I nodded and put the bottle on the table to take a breather. “You got any water, Fah?”   
“Uh, sure, I’ll be back in a moment. Don’t drink all that stuff, I want some too.” I nodded to her, and as she left I retrieved a drinking glass from a cupboard, putting it on the table and pouring some whiskey into it, accidentally spilling a fair amount onto the table, both through general hand-shake and from accidentally pouring too much into the glass.

  
“Here ya go, Gail.” Fahrenheit had a few cans of water, and she chucked one to me, it was easy for me to catch it in a single move. “Thanks,” I popped the can open and drank thirstily, hoping to ebb at the headache that was starting to form from dehydration. “No, thank you for saving me some whiskey.” She laughed as she picked up one of the glasses, emptying the lot into her mouth before sighing contentedly. “That hits the spot,” she murmured happily.  
“Want more?”  
“Do you even have to ask, Gail?” I laughed as I poured more of the whiskey into her glass.  
“Cheers,” She raised her glass as I did the same with the bottle, and we clinked them together before drinking what was left of the whiskey. “Next bottle, or are you feeling confident enough?” She laughed as she looked at me thinking, the effects of the mentats either wore off, or were counterbalanced by the Whiskey. “I think another bottle would be good...” I picked up a beer, wanting to save the rum for a bit later. I brought the top of the bottle down hard onto the edge of the table, the cap buckling up and bending over, leaving the bottle open. I gulped it down and immediately shivered in response. “I was right, beer _is not_ for me.” I giggled at my response, clearly already starting to feel the effects of being drunk. I drank the rest of it as quickly as I could, occasionally stopping to drink some water. Once the bottle was finally drained of the substance I swilled water in my mouth before swallowing, hoping to take the edge off of the flavour, before making a noise that I could only guess was of disgust. “You alright Gail?” She looked worried as I drank the rest of the water in the can, lapping up every last drop. “Yea, yea… Fah… I’m grrreat!” My speech slurred and I was obviously kinda drunk at this point, but I felt pretty good… I guess. “Hm, maybe you should stop-”  
“No! Let’s go to Diamon’ City! I wa… want moonshine!” I yelled in a shrill tone as I got up clumsily. Fahrenheit grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me back down. “No, you’ll get yourself killed in this state, stop.”  
“Noooo...” I whimpered quietly as I looked at the floor, tapping my feet slowly.  
“Look, Gail, sorry, but this was a bad idea.” She took the other alcohols away and I was too slow to get them back. “Ugh, fine, whatever.” I murmured as she left the room with the bottles. She came back a moment later empty handed before sitting back down next to me. “Do you feel confident enough, Gail?”

  
“I don’t know.. I don’t know, I mean, that alcohol you took ‘way would ’ve cert- certainly fuckin’ helped at leeast a lil bit...” There was a tone of moodiness in my voice, and Fahrenheit could definitely hear it as she crumpled her brow slightly. “Look Gail, you’re not well as it is, I don’t want to explain to Hancock why you died in his office of alcohol poisoning, or something, ok?” Her voice was firm, not angry, just firm. I knew I couldn’t get her to waver on this. “Ugh, fiiine.” I grumbled as I continued to sit slumped forwards in annoyance. “Where is Hancocky... cock, anyway?” I looked to the temporary mother-figure, who seemed to find this situation funny.   
“He went for a walk shortly after you were told to rest and I haven’t seen him yet. He’s probably due back any time soon though.” I nodded slowly, my head unnaturally moving up and down rather than nodding, really, but it is the closest word I can think of. “Look, Gail, I think you should get to bed, Hancock will be back before you fall asleep, I’m pretty sure of it.”

 

At the mention of the word bed I hopped towards the door, I don’t wanna sleep… “No, I’d rather stay awa-ake...” I started running out of the door before she could stop me, and I stumbled down the stairs pass watchmen who were either amused or in some form of shock. In either case, they didn’t stop me. I burst through the door that was closest to the exit of the rickety town, and tried to make a beeline for it, which ended up more like a bee ’squiggle’ due to my hindered walking. But even before I could get there, someone, who I can only guess was Fah, was stood in the doorway. “G-get out of my waay, Fah.”   
“Mmh, I don’t think Fahrenheit would be pleased to know you mixed us up,” A familiar raspy voice spoke and ended his sentence with a chuckle. It was John. “Ah, heello John!” I waved my hand inches from his face, but he didn’t look too impressed. “Gail, what is going on? You should be resting,” He gently held onto my wrist and brought it down before leading me back into the town, and I was too tired to fight against it. “But I don’t wanna… wher’d you go nyway?” I slurred my speech as he led the way to somewhere. “I just had to clear my head. So what did you get up to while you should have been asleep?”

“Well, uh woke up and went to the third rail, and faaarenhit was there, and she took me back to the state hou-house… Then I took some drugs,”   
“Wait, what?” Hancock stopped and turned to look at me, a flame of anger burning at the words carried on his voice. “Fahrenheit gave you chems?” His face looked as angry too, something I hadn’t seen much of before. “No, I took chems by choice, and some b-booze… because I needed courage to tell Han-Hancock I love him-” I stopped abruptly at the end of my sentence, realising what I had said. Hancock probed my face, maybe he didn’t love me? Maybe Fahrenheit was playing a joke on me? Damn this alcohol, I can feel myself sobering up, but I can’t quite comprehend what is going on here. “C’mon, you’re tired, we’ll talk about this in the morning.” He continued to pull me towards what I can only guess is the Memory Den, but I remained firm. Hancock is strong, but he doesn’t seem to be putting his best efforts in to pull me along at the moment. 

 

“No… we should talk about this now,” I replied in a small whisper, my charismatic abilities rapidly declining. “Well, no, you’re clearly delirious and don’t know what you’re talking about.”   
“Yes I do!” He tried to yank me forward, but I broke free from his grasp and staggered backwards on unsteady feet. “I remember, Hancock!” He froze, and if there was one thing I could see in the normally empty or unreadable void of his eyes, it was fear. “You told me you love me, Hancock!”   
“Gail, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tried to approach me quietly, “You’re scared and confused and probably having a bad reaction to the chems you took,” He was pretty close to me once again, but I could definitely jump over the bench that was pressing into my back leg.   
“Why won’t you listen to me Hancock? I know you love me, Fahrenheit confirmed it. You can ask her!”

“Look, Gail, this isn’t funny. People are looking!” His words were pointed as he hissed at me. It was true, they were looking. “I don’t give a fucking damn if they look!” I started to yell and produced huge arm movements to make Hancock feel more embarrassed in case anyone else was going to look. “You need to go and get some sl-” before he could finish I pressed my lips to his, and he pulled away almost immediately, for reasons unknown. “I know it’s not funny, Hancock. I’m not joking.” 

 

“Uhm...” Hancock began to fumble over his words, if he could blush, I am more than certain his face would be ablaze. “Are you sure you want to be stuck with me? I’m pretty sure Crew Cut from the Brotherhood is more your type.”   
“I’m more into the personality than the face, and ‘Crew Cut’ -as you call him- is more than lacking, in more ways than one.” I chuckled as I smiled to the Ghoul.    
“So, uhm, how long have you… felt this way?”   
“Well, I’ve been having impure thoughts for some time,” I smiled as Hancock edged closer with a slight pout. “Hey! That’s my line!” he gently touched my arm as he faked annoyance, no longer able to hide a smile.”Anyway, you should get some rest… Your place or mine?”   
“How about the memory den? I have a feeling I wouldn’t be resting at either option you gave me,” I laughed slightly as Hancock shrugged.

“Whatever the lady wants,” He linked his arm with mine and walked me to the door.   
“Wow, how gentlemanly,” I exclaimed in fake shock as we stopped just outside the red oak doors. “Heh, I try my best,” He shoved his hands into his pockets and  scuffed his feet on the dirty floor. “So, uh, I was thinking… I heard about this adventure park and I was wondering if I could like… uh, take you-” I cut off his fumbled words as I leaned against the door coolly.   
“Like, on a date?”

“Uhm, yea… I guess you could call it that,”   
“Yeah, sure, if you can fit me into your busy schedule”   
“Great, uh… I’ll pick you up at 8, if you’re ok with that?”   
“I should be fine, see you then.”   
“Great!” He exclaimed and walked away, before spinning back around and placing a kiss on my forehead. “Heh, almost forgot,”   
“That’s unlike you, it’s bad enough you’re getting sentimental on me… don’t get forgetful on me too,”   
“Only time can tell, love. See ya.”

 

I walked back into the Memory Den, to immediately be met with the wrath of Doctor Amari, who chewed me out thoroughly and sent me to bed, which kinda reminded me of when my mum used to scold me for staying out late with Nate when I was sixteen, she has a striking resemblance to my mother as well.”I’m only going to bed because I have plans tomorrow, not because you told me to,” I grumbled as I walked past the doctor who looked near comic in her nightgown and fluffy slippers. “Sure, sure… _ if _ you’re well enough.” 

“I’ll be ok, trust me."

 

I climbed back into my bed, not bothering to remove any clothes but leaving the covers off, and lay thinking. Even though they possibly helped today with some unresolved skeletons, and other people like them a lot (Hancock included), I don’t think chems are for me. 

 

Then again, I haven’t tried them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating yesterday, I had to get ready for a trip to Brighton that I had today... was alright, won't go into too much detail, but I ended up buying a 1.9 litre flask and cute juggling balls from a Tiger store (if you don't know what they are, they're stores full of novelty gifts as well as some useful stuff... I have a tendency towards the novel)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this short fic, and there should be more to come from me in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled!
> 
> Don't forget to comment, kudos and share!  
> Thank you for reading :)


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